Training bicycle and bicycle frame

Abstract

To easily perform detachment / attachment of a chain and a pedal unit in a training bicycle having a seat stay.SOLUTION: A training bicycle 1 with a detachable pedal unit includes: a bicycle frame 100 in which a reception part 110, to which a pedal unit 200 is connected, is provided at a lower part of a seat tube 120; the pedal unit 200 detachably connected to the reception part 110; and a chain installed between the pedal unit 200 and a rear wheel 300. In the bicycle frame 100, a seat stay 150 on a side where a chain wheel is connected thereto is detachably connected to the bicycle frame 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a training bicycle and a bicycle frame that allow the chain and pedal unit to be detached. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, bicycles that are configured so that the pedal unit can be attached and detached have been developed and used. The purpose of making it possible to remove the pedal unit from the bicycle is mainly for the purpose of practicing riding the bicycle. Specifically, the unit main body including the chain wheel and pedal crank can be attached and detached to the bicycle body with bolts or the like, and the pedal unit can be fixedly connected / released with bolts and nuts (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] With this configuration, especially when a child is riding a bicycle for the first time, with the unit body removed, they can learn how to handle the handlebars and their sense of balance by kicking the ground with their feet, and once they have mastered riding to a certain extent, they can attach the unit body to the bicycle body and practice pushing the pedals connected to the pedal cranks to move the bicycle forward. This is an effective training method not only for children, but also for adults of a certain age. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-147199 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, small training bicycles, especially for children, often do not have seat stays because the rider is light in weight, making it easy to attach and detach the pedal unit and chain.However, in the case of bicycles that have seat stays, the rear wheel must be removed from the main body to attach the chain, making it difficult to attach and detach the pedal unit and chain.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In order to solve the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a training bicycle and bicycle frame that allows the chain and pedal unit to be easily attached and detached even on a training bicycle that has seat stays. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, a bicycle (1) to which a pedal unit (200) can be detached includes a bicycle frame (100) having a receiving portion (110) for connecting a pedal unit (200) provided at the bottom of a seat tube (120), a pedal unit (200) detachably connected to the receiving portion (110), and a chain (500) installed between the pedal unit (200) and a rear wheel (300). In the bicycle (1) to which a pedal unit can be detached, the pedal unit (200) rotatably holds a pedal crank (220) to which a chain wheel (210) is pivotally attached, and the receiving portion (110) is pivotally connected to the pedal crank (220). The training bicycle has a connection part (230) for connecting to a rear sprocket (310) mounted on the rear wheel, and the chain (500) is stretched across the chain wheel (210) and a rear sprocket (310) mounted on the rear wheel, so that the pedal unit (200) and the chain (500) are detachably connected to the bicycle frame (100), and the bicycle frame (100) is characterized in that the seat stay (150) on the side connecting the chain wheel (210) is detachably connected to the bicycle frame (100). With this configuration, the seat stay (150) on the side connecting the chain wheel (210) is detachable, so that the chain (500) and pedal unit (200) can be easily attached and detached even on a training bicycle that has a seat stay (150).

[0008] In the above configuration, the bicycle frame (100) may be configured to include a chain stay (130) for rotatably fixing the rear wheel (300) at least on the side facing the pedal unit (200).

[0009] In the above configuration, a branch portion (132) extending diagonally upward and forward may be provided on the rear wheel side of the chain stay (130), and the rear end side of the seat stay (150) may be fixed to the branch portion (132). According to this configuration, the branch portion (132) is set in a position and shape that facilitates attachment and detachment, thereby facilitating attachment and detachment of the seat stay (150).

[0010] In the above configuration, the pedal unit (200) may include a chain cover (250) that covers the chain (500), and the branch portion (132) may be provided on the outside of the chain cover (250) so as to overlap the chain cover (250) when viewed from the side of the bicycle frame (100). With this configuration, the chain cover (250) is sandwiched by the branch portion (132), which is expected to have an effect of improving strength.

[0011] In the above configuration, the pedal unit (200) may include a chain cover (250) that covers the chain (500), the chain cover (250) may be provided with a through hole (252) through which the chain stay (130) passes, and the chain stay (130) may be inserted into the through hole (252) from the rear outside of the chain cover (250) toward the front inside. According to this configuration, the chain cover (250) can be easily attached by attaching the chain stay (130) through the through hole (252).

[0012] In the above configuration, the chain cover (250) may be separable in the front-rear direction, and the through hole (252) may be formed across the separated portion of the chain cover (250). With this configuration, the chain cover (250) is separable in the front-rear direction, which makes it even easier to attach the chain cover.

[0013] In the above configuration, the rear end of the seat stay (150) may be fixed onto an axle (302) of the rear wheel (300). According to this configuration, the axle (302) is used to fix the seat stay (150), thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0014] In the above configuration, the rear end of the seat stay (150) may be provided with a long hole (152) that is open to the rear, and the rear end of the seat stay (150) may be fixed onto the axle (302) of the rear wheel (300) by a fixing member (136) provided in the long hole (152). According to this configuration, the long hole (152) that is open to the rear can facilitate adjustment when attaching the seat stay (150).

[0015] In the above configuration, the pedal unit (200) may include a chain cover (250) that covers the chain (500), and the seat stay (150) may be attached to the outside of the chain cover (250). According to this configuration, the chain cover (250) can be stabilized by being sandwiched between the seat stays (150).

[0016] In the above configuration, the seat stay (150) may have detachable portions at both ends, making the entire seat stay (150) detachable. With this configuration, the entire seat stay (150) is detachable and has no gaps in between, improving the strength of the bicycle frame (100) when the seat stay (150) is attached.

[0017] Another aspect of the present invention is a bicycle frame (100) to which a pedal unit (200) and a chain (500) are detachably attached, characterized in that the seat stay (150) on the side connecting the chain wheel (210) is detachably connected to the bicycle frame (100). With this configuration, since the seat stay (150) on the side connecting the chain wheel (210) is detachable, the chain (500) and pedal unit (200) can be easily attached and detached even on a training bicycle that has a seat stay (150). Example 1

[0018] A bicycle and bicycle frame according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of a bicycle according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the bicycle. Fig. 3 is a side perspective view of the bicycle with the pedal unit and chain removed, and Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view showing the connection of the seat stays. Fig. 5 is a side perspective view of the bicycle showing an embodiment of another connection structure for the seat stays, and Fig. 6 is a side perspective view of the bicycle with the seat stays removed. Fig. 7 is a rear perspective view showing the connection of the seat stays, and Fig. 8 is a side perspective view of the bicycle showing the inside of the pedal unit.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8, the bicycle 1 of the present invention comprises a bicycle frame 100, a pedal unit 200, a rear wheel 300, a handle section 400 having a front wheel 420, and a chain 500, and by making the seat stays 150 detachable, the chain 500 and the pedal unit 200 can be easily detached from the bicycle frame 100.

[0020] The bicycle frame 100 is a member that constitutes the main body of the bicycle 1 according to the present invention, and as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8, a pedal unit 200, a rear wheel 300, a handlebar section 400 equipped with a front wheel 420, and a chain 500 are installed on it. The bicycle frame 100 is equipped with a seat tube 120, a chain stay 130, a down tube 140, and a seat stay 150, and in this embodiment, the handlebar section 400 is installed on a head tube 160 installed in front of the down tube 140 so as to be rotatable left and right. Alternatively, a top tube 170 may be installed to connect the upper part of the seat tube 120 and the front part of the down tube 140.

[0021] In this embodiment, the bicycle frame 100 is made of iron, but is not limited to this and can be made of aluminum, chromium, carbon, titanium, resin, or other materials that have sufficient strength to reduce weight.

[0022] A receiving portion 110 is installed on the bicycle frame 100. The receiving portion 110 is a member for connecting the pedal unit 200, and as shown in Fig. 1, is fixedly installed at the bottom of the seat tube 120 and configured to detachably connect the pedal unit 200 to the bicycle frame 100 with bolts.

[0023] The receiving part 110 can be configured to be fixed to the seat tube 120, or to a portion of the down tube 140 below the seat tube 120, for example. The receiving part 110 is a member on which the force of stepping on the pedals is concentrated when the user gets on the bicycle and pedals, so it is desirable that the receiving part 110 is a sturdy member and is firmly connected to the bicycle frame 100. In this embodiment, the receiving part 110 is made of the same iron as the bicycle frame 100, but is not limited to this, and it is possible to use aluminum, chromium, carbon, titanium, resin, or other materials having sufficient strength by appropriately selecting them in order to reduce weight. As a variation of the specific configuration of the receiving part, the receiving part 110 may be a hollow member of an approximately cylindrical shape extending below the saddle, and a pedal unit having a unit side connection part inserted into the hollow member may be attached (see JP 2013-147199 A, paragraphs

[0017] to

[0020] and FIG. 3). In addition, a gear portion that can engage with the crank via a concave / convex shape may be provided on the receiving portion, and the crank may be inserted into the gear portion to turn the pedal (see International Publication No. 2018-216676, paragraphs

[0050] to

[0054] and Figures 1 to 2, 8 and 9).

[0024] A rear wheel 300 is attached to the rear end of the chain stay 130. A rear sprocket 310 is attached to the rear wheel 300, on which a chain 500 that transmits the rotational power of the pedal crank 220 is stretched. In addition, a handle section 400 including a front fork 430 to which a handle 410 and a front wheel 420 are attached is attached to the front part of the down tube 140 via a head tube 160.

[0025] The pedal unit 200 is a unit including a pedal 240, a pedal crank 220, a chain wheel 210, and a chain cover 250 that are detachably attached to the bicycle frame 100, and in this embodiment, is detachably connected to the receiving part 110. A chain 500 is installed between the chain wheel 210 of the pedal unit 200 and a rear sprocket 310 of the rear wheel 300. The chain cover 250 that covers the chain 500 is not an essential component of the pedal unit 200, but is preferable in order to protect the chain 500 and prevent accidental contact between the rider and the chain.

[0026] The pedal unit 200 of the bicycle 1 according to the present invention is configured to rotatably hold a pedal crank 220 to which a chain wheel 210 is pivotally attached, and to have a connection part 230 for detachably connecting to a receiving part 110 which is fixedly connected to the bicycle frame 100.

[0027] The main body of the pedal unit 200 rotatably holds a pedal crank 220 to which a chain wheel 210 is pivotally attached, and is connected to the bicycle frame 100. The main body of the pedal unit 200 is equipped with a connection part 230. The connection part 230 is a member for connecting and fixing the pedal unit 200 to the bicycle frame 100, and in this embodiment, is configured to be connected to a receiving part 110 provided on the bicycle frame 100.

[0028] In this embodiment, the connection part 230 is configured to be welded to the pedal unit 200, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be configured to be attached by integral formation. Also, the connection part 230 is made of the same iron as the bicycle frame 100 in order to maintain strength, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be made of aluminum, chromium, carbon, titanium, resin, or other materials having sufficient strength to reduce weight.

[0029] In this embodiment, the receiving portion 110 and the connecting portion 230 are fixed with a bolt. Specifically, the bolt is inserted into a hole (not shown) drilled in the receiving portion 110 and the connecting portion 230, and fastened together with a nut. Either the hole drilled in the receiving portion 110 or the connecting portion 230 can be an elongated hole. This makes it possible to adjust the tension of the chain 500 stretched between the chain wheel 210 and the rear sprocket 310 to be stronger or weaker.

[0030] With the above configuration, the pedal unit 200 and the chain 500 can be detachably attached to the bicycle frame 100.

[0031] In this embodiment, the bicycle frame 100 is equipped with a pair of left and right chain stays 130 as shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The chain stays 130 sandwich the rear wheel 300 from the left and right, and the wheel 500 is fixed to the tip of the chain stay 130 so as to be freely rotatable. A branched portion 132 extending diagonally upward and forward is provided on the rear wheel side of the chain stay 130, and the rear end of the seat stay 150 described below is fixed to the branched portion 132 (see Fig. 4). By setting the branched portion 132 in a position and shape that makes it easy to attach and detach the seat stay 150, the attachment and detachment of the seat stay 150 is made easy. The chain stay 130 can also be configured as a one-arm type that is fixed only on one side. When the chain stay 130 is provided on only one side, the chain stay 130 is preferably provided on the chain wheel 210 side.

[0032] In this embodiment, the bicycle frame 100 is provided with a seat stay 150 that is provided between the chain stay 130 and the upper part of the seat tube 120. The seat stay 150 provided in the bicycle 1 according to the present invention is configured such that one of the left and right stays is detachably connected. In this embodiment, the seat stay 150 on the side that connects the chain wheel 210 is detachably connected to the bicycle frame 100, and the seat stay 150 on the opposite side is fixed to the chain stay 130 and the seat tube 120 by welding or the like. This configuration makes it possible to easily attach and detach the pedal unit and the chain, as described below. In this embodiment, the seat stays 150 are provided on both sides of the rear wheel 300 as described above, but it is sufficient that the seat stays 150 are provided at least on the chain wheel 210 side (in the following description, when the "seat stay 150" is mentioned, it refers to the detachable seat stay 150 provided on the chain wheel 210 side).

[0033] Conventionally, there have been children's bicycles with detachable pedal units for practice. These children's practice bicycles are small and do not usually have seat stays. For this reason, it is relatively easy to attach and detach the pedal unit and chain. However, adult bicycles are usually provided with seat stays because they need to support the weight. Because of the presence of these seat stays, even if a detachable pedal unit were attached to an adult bicycle, there was a problem that the seat stays would get in the way and make it difficult to remove the chain.

[0034] The configuration of the present invention makes it possible to easily remove and attach the pedal unit and chain by removing the seat stay 150, regardless of the size of the bicycle, including that for adults, so that even adults can easily practice riding a bicycle.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the seat stay 150 is configured such that both ends are detachably connected between the rear end side of the chain stay 130 and the upper part of the seat tube 120, so that the entire seat stay 150 is detachable. Specifically, a connection hole drilled in a branch part 132 on the rear end side of the chain stay 130, a connection hole provided on the upper side of the seat tube 120, and connection holes provided on both ends of the seat stay 150 are fixed with bolts and nuts. At this time, the branch part 132 is provided on the outside of the chain cover 250 so as to overlap with the chain cover 250 when viewed from the side of the bicycle frame 100, and by sandwiching the chain cover 250 with the branch part 132, the effect of improving strength can be expected. Also, by attaching the seat stay 150 to the outside of the chain cover 250 and sandwiching the chain cover 250 with the seat stay 150, the entire structure can be stabilized. Furthermore, since the entire seat stay 150 is detachable and there is no gap in the middle, the strength of the bicycle frame 100 can be improved when the seat stay 150 is attached.

[0036] Here, the chain cover 250 is provided with through holes 252 through which the chain stays 130 pass, and the chain stays 130 are inserted into the through holes 252 from the rear outside of the chain cover 250 toward the front inside. By attaching the chain stays 130 via the through holes 252, attachment of the chain cover 250 becomes easy. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the chain cover 250 is separable in the front-rear direction, and the through holes 252 are formed across the separated parts of the chain cover 250. Because the chain cover 250 is separable in the front-rear direction, attachment of the chain cover (insertion of the chain stays 130 into the through holes 252) becomes even easier. Example 2

[0037] As another embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5 to Fig. 7, the tip end side (rear wheel side) of the chain stay 130 can be fixed together with the seat stay 150 by a nut using the axle 302 of the rear wheel 300. Specifically, a long hole 134 that opens rearward is provided at the rear end of the chain stay 130, and the rear end of the chain stay 130 is fixed onto the axle 302 of the rear wheel 300 by a fixing member (nut 136 in this embodiment) provided in the long hole 134 (the axle 302 has a groove formed therein and can be engaged with the nut 136). Similarly, a long hole 152 that opens rearward is provided at the rear end of the seat stay 150, and the rear end of the seat stay 150 is fixed onto the axle 302 of the rear wheel 300 by a fixing member (nut 136 in this embodiment) provided in the long hole 152. That is, the axle 302 passes through both the long hole 134 of the chain stay 130 and the long hole 152 of the seat stay 150, and the chain stay 130 and the seat stay 150 are fixed together by tightening the nut 136. At this time, the rear end side of the chain stay 130 and the seat stay 150 is formed in a flat plate shape so that they can be easily fixed by the nut. In addition, the long hole that opens to the rear makes it easy to adjust the position of the chain stay 130 and the seat stay 150 when they are attached. Note that the seat stay 150 may be attached at both ends as in this embodiment so that the entire seat stay 150 is detachable, but only a part of the seat stay 150 may be detachable.

[0038] In this embodiment, the seat stays 150 are made of the same iron as the bicycle frame 100, but this is not limited to this and can be made of aluminum, chromium, carbon, titanium, resin, or other materials with sufficient strength to reduce weight.

[0039] It is believed that most people learn how to ride a bicycle by practicing when they are young, but there are also many people who reach junior high school age or become adults without having practiced riding a bicycle. In such cases, there is a problem in that there are no equipment suitable for adults that allows them to practice riding a bicycle safely.

[0040] To practice riding a bicycle, you need to master two actions: (1) straddling the frame and acquiring a sense of balance, and (2) turning the pedals. In recent years, in order to make it easier to acquire these two actions, training bicycles with detachable pedals have been attracting attention, especially for children who are just starting to ride bicycles. By making the pedals detachable, it is possible to easily acquire a sense of balance as a lightweight pedal-less bicycle. Next, by putting on the pedals and practicing turning the pedals, even people who are not good at sports can ride a bicycle. When it comes to this training bicycle, it is important to choose a bicycle of a size that fits your body, but at present there are no bicycles of a size that adults can ride, and so if an adult tries to practice as described above, there is a major problem in that the bicycle must be disassembled.

[0041] Although pedal removal and installation is usually performed by a professional bicycle mechanic, it is preferable for the user to be able to remove and install the pedal themselves. To achieve this, the pedals need to be as easy to remove as possible, without having to remove safety equipment such as brakes, or anything that requires special tools, such as the wheels.

[0042] For example, if a bicycle frame without seat stays is used, it is possible to remove the pedals and chain without removing the rear wheel or brake. This type is considered effective for bicycles for light children, but for larger and more physically fit elementary school students and above, the chain stays need to be made thicker to maintain strength, which makes the bicycle heavy and unsuitable for practice bicycles.

[0043] To solve this problem, the seat stays, the components that connect the rear wheel to the seat, are made removable, making it possible to remove and attach the pedals and chain without removing the rear wheel or brake. [Industrial Applicability]

[0044] By using the bicycle and bicycle frame of the present invention, it has become possible to easily attach and detach pedals on bicycle frames of various shapes, including diamond frames that have an excellent balance between strength and light weight.Furthermore, bicycle frames of various sizes, from children to adults, can be used as training bicycles, making it possible to provide a bicycle and bicycle frame that can be used by a wide range of people.

[0045] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above is merely an example of an embodiment, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In addition to the above, the present invention can be modified and changed in various ways within the scope of the claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0046] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a bicycle according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] Exploded view of the bicycle [Diagram 3] Side perspective view of the bicycle with the pedal unit and chain removed [Figure 4] Rear perspective view showing the seat stay connection [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a side perspective view of a bicycle showing another embodiment of a seat stay connection structure; [Figure 6] Side perspective view of the bicycle with the seat stays removed [Figure 7] Rear perspective view showing the seat stay connection [Figure 8] A side perspective view of the bicycle showing the inside of the pedal unit [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1. Bicycle 100 Bicycle Frame 110 Receiving Department 120 seat tube 130 Chainstay 132 Branch 134 Long hole (chain stay) 136 Fixing parts (nuts) 140 Downtube 150 seat stay 152 Long hole (seat stay) 160 Head Tube 170 top tube 200 Pedal Unit 210 Chainwheel 220 Pedal Crank 230 Connection 240 Pedal 250 Chain cover 252 Through hole 300 rear wheel 302 Axle (rear wheel) 310 rear sprocket 400 Handle 410 Handle 420 Front wheel 430 front fork 500 Chain

Claims

1. a so-called diamond-shaped frame including a seat tube, a down tube extending forward from a lower end of the seat tube, a top tube extending forward from an upper portion of the seat tube, a pair of chain stays extending from the lower end of the seat tube to the left and right of the rear wheel, and a pair of seat stays extending from the upper portion of the seat tube to the left and right of the rear wheel; a pedal unit that rotatably holds a pedal crank having a chain wheel pivotally attached thereto, and has a connecting portion for connecting to a receiving portion provided at a lower end of the seat tube, and is detachably connected to the frame; a chain that is installed between the chain wheel and a rear sprocket that is installed on a rear wheel, Of the pair of seat stays, only the seat stay on the chain wheel side is detachably attached to the bicycle frame at its front and rear ends, and the rear end of this seat stay is connected to a branch portion that extends obliquely upward and forward from the rear wheel side of the chain stay on the chain wheel side of the pair of chain stays. A training bicycle characterized by:

2. The pedal unit includes a chain cover that covers the chain, 2. The training bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the branch portion is provided on the outside of the chain cover so as to overlap with the chain cover when viewed from a side of the bicycle frame.

3. The pedal unit includes a chain cover that covers the chain, 2. The training bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that the chain cover is provided with a through hole through which the chain stay passes, and the chain stay is inserted into the through hole from the rear outside of the chain cover toward the front inside.

4. The chain cover is separable in the front-rear direction, 4. The training bicycle according to claim 3, wherein the through hole is formed across the separation portion of the chain cover.

5. The pedal unit includes a chain cover that covers the chain, 2. The training bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the seat stay is disposed between the rear end side of the chain stay and an upper portion of the seat tube, and the end portion on the chain stay side is disposed outside the chain cover.

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